Scientists Find Alignment Between Heartbeats Of Dogs And Their Owners

Modern life offers us a lot of conveniences, but it has also led to life being lived at a faster pace than ever before. We are constantly being bombarded with information – demands from work, social media updates, news, etc. It’s no wonder that stress and anxiety are quickly becoming two of the leading health problems that people face today. In the face of all that stress, how is one supposed to cope?

The answer may be simpler than you think. At this point, it probably comes as little surprise that pet ownership can have significant health benefits. We’ve seen countless studies about it, and most pet owners (especially dogs or cats) can attest to the fact that their animals soothe them when they’re stressed out. It’s part of the reason why service and therapy dogs became so popular over the last decade or so.

Now, in collaboration with Pedigree Australia, some scientists have found even more compelling evidence in favor of pet ownership. They found volunteers who had anxiety issues and also enjoyed close relationships with their dogs. The owners and the dogs were separated and hooked up to heart monitors, and after some time, they were reunited. The results are stunning. In every case, the owners and the dogs experienced a spike in heart rate when separated and relaxed when they were back together. The really crazy part, however, is how quickly and how closely the hearts aligned when the two were in the same room.